http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html?referrer=digg Would you have stopped?
personally....yes. But i have studied music, was a musician (all in school of course ) for more than 6 years. Music is one of those things that can get me through my day or change my mood in a heart beat. Quality musicians like that on the street....I would have called my boss and told her id be a little late for whatever reason. goes to show you how much true artist are really unappreciated by todays culture. - im sure though if there was someone with a Macbook and a keyboard making beats down there many would have stopped.
I think it only goes to prove that people are pretty tuned out and in a Point A to Point B frame of mind when they're commuting. The subways are packed with horrible musicians, and the assumption when you see one is that, at best, he/she won't offend. And even the sweetest violin probably isn't exactly tonic to most peoples' barely-awake ears first thing in the morning. You could have plunked Eddie Van Halen into Grand Central Station back in 1980 to wail away, and only a handful would stop to watch. People are too busy, regardless the distraction.
I would have stopped, but I've been involved with music for the past 10 years and tend to stop for street musicians when they sound like they have some talent.
stopped? probaly not but i may have tipped on the way passed and listened and enjoyed as far as i could have heard him. when i'm leaving paris on the way to the plane, whatever change i have in my pocket i always give to an accordianist to play "la vi da rose" as i wait for the train.
In one of the interconnecting tunnels of London's Tube, one evening there was a guiter player singing the Beatles Yesterday. Excellent singer, I listened for a couple of minutes and gave him my pocket change, which was probably $3-4us. Only time I can remember giving money to a street musician.
after every cardinals home game, there's always a guy there playing the saxaphone. insanely good player, trying to earn some extra cash. he's not homeless, on drugs, etc., just playing for the love of it. he's been doing this ever since i can remember, even the first few games i can remember seeing at the old busch i remember him playing there. i usually stop, listen for a couple of minutes, and drop a couple of bucks in. if people take the time to stop and talk to these guys, that can make a world of difference, even more so than all the money you can give him.
He'd have better luck playing "Orange Blossom Special" And no, I'd probably not have stopped. Most street musicians are so bad that I really don't "hear" them anymore.
I'd like to say yes, but I really don't know if I would have. I can vividly remember all the street performers I've actually stopped dead in my tracks to listen to. I've stopped once in New York, once in Boston, once in Rome, once in Dublin. I DO stop, but it has to be for something special. The story reminds me of one my Dad actually retold for about the millionth time yesterday. He was working in Newark, NJ for HUD, and he was on his lunch break. He and a friend went to go grab lunch and walked through a park in the middle of Newark. There was a guy sitting there singing and playing songs as people walked by and paid virtually no notice to him. My Dad stopped for ONE song because his friend - completely unimpressed - was in a hurry to make sure they got back from their lunch break on time. The man playing in the park was Pete Seeger.
He was a very famous folk singer. Last year, Bruce Springsteen released a CD of all Pete Seeger songs, actually. Best Springsteen album in a long time...
Great read! I honestly don't know if I would have stopped or carried on. Its true that he is a great musician but I don't think anyone is really fully aware of everything around them in busy places such as the one he was in.
